Why Online Video Is Key For Small Business

Online video. You see it everywhere with billions of videos served (sort of like McDonald’s minus the calories).

With Youtube becoming the second most-used search engine to Google, now has never been a time for small businesses to jump on the incredible opportunity of online video. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Cost Of Production: Your video budget no longer has to have a lot of zeros especially with the rise of high quality pocket cameras including Flip Cameras, Kodak zi8, iPhones and the webcam on your computer.

2. Easy Hosting: All kinds of easy options. If you are using it for selling, talking about your products and other major business functions, Brightcove might be a great solution. Looking to add mobile video? Check out Widget Realm. Creating awesome, engaging content? Nab more eyeballs via viddler, vimeo, youtube, and blip.tv.

3. Many Functions: Entertain, inspire, sell, recruit, add personality, have a show related around your expertise. If you think it, you can create it. One piece of advice is not just talk about you and your product but relate it more to a subject. For example, Zappos rarely talks about shoes. Instead, they talk about customer service and company culture.

4. Personality: People like doing business with people. The second best thing to face-to-face is video. Video creates a much more personal connections with your customers and clients.

5. Easily Spreadable: Like peanut butter, video in 2010 is now easily spreadable. Links can be posted to Twitter and Linkedin. Video can be uploaded Facebook. Plus you can send it out via Tube Mogul to multiple sites.

Bottom line? The opportunity is there. The eyeballs are there. Are you there?

32 Reactions

Great article David! I definitely agree that online video is an essential tool for small biz as they move forward. Did a great job at clearing laying out the five big points. The versatility of the video is truly endless, unlimited as you said, and I think more and more small businesses should jump on the bandwagon and take advantage of this tool.

David, great post! Thanks for the Brightcove mention. You’re right. Text can only go so far. We know from television that video is a powerful form of marketing. With online video, that power is now available to all sized businesses. At Brightcove, we’re seeing more and more small businesses adopt our platform and add video to their websites. It’s exciting to see.

Hey David! Nice seeing you around the Internet man It absolutely kills me how many people and businesses aren’t using video. What makes it so powerful IS the deeper connection you build with your audience. And too, some people prefer to consume video than reading a post.

I myself like to switch it up. One day I’ll have a written post, the next I’ll have a video. I try and roll out at least 3 videos/week and the same number of posts.

In the SEO world, ranking for certain terms is very difficult. However, Google loves video and you can often get a YouTube video (featuring your site) to rank for a competitive term easier than getting your site to rank.

Great post, David! Indeed, small businesses can actually BEAT the big guys to the punch, since they don’t have to go through the red tape and formalties of traditional video production! For those using WordPress, here’s how to embed your video into your blog post or page. Some people get intimated by that step, too…but it’s a piece o’ cake!http://www.wellplannedweb.com/2010/01/add-video-blog/

I couldn’t agree more. Regarding the cost of video production, I would say it is definitely worth it to spend a little money to make your video look professional. We’ve all seen YouTube videos shot with a home video camera. You don’t want to leave that impression with potential customers.

But it doesn’t have to cost a lot. A video shot with a decent camera and produced with professional motion graphics will go a LONG way in making your video look like a big deal. This can easily be accomplished for under $1,000.

Great post that really simplifies the core reasons video should be embedded (no pun intended!) in any business’ online campaign. The interesting thing I’ve found, which will be the topic of my next blog post, is that despite the myriad reasons businesses should incorporate video, so few have yet to adopt the tool as of yet.

Great thoughts David and you are so right.
Video can bring a nessage to life and you have so many more options than plain text.
It can really add life to a blog which we’ve found by releasing a fresh video each week as part of our blogging regime.
If you’d like to take a look then go to http://www.onesherpa.com/melbourne-tour

Implementing video strategies can definitely help not only your website but you can also use it to add attention to monthly newsletters and emails. In order to engage your potential clients you have to have quality video. Video that looks good and sounds good. As far as case studies go…I recently did some investigative work for a client. We found out through studying Google Analytics that her company website experienced a 22% increase in page views the first three months after her professional video started streaming on her site.

Great points! I have been thinking about making a video for my website design services, but I’m not sure what to do for it.

Should I describe the benefits of a website or should I describe my process of creating a website? I may go with the first idea because people often don’t understand why a website is beneficial for any business.

I definitely agree that videos are essential for small businesses. It’s an easy and effective marketing tool. I think people nowadays tend to watch more rather than read. They get more attention because it’s moving and entertaining.
I’d have to recommend AssistMePro.com, they do really great marketing videos for small businesses.

Great post, isight and value. There is so much more to marketing on YouTube than many realize; there is a whole set of YouTube Optimization Processes that can mean the difference between success and failure. We have about ten tips on our Blog Post (Video Marketing) that might be helpful to your readers.

David…what I meant by professional video was a professional produced video. My firm – Whitney Media Productions produced the 60 second promotional piece for RXFreeCard.com that resulted in the increased page views. We also helped w/Video SEO which is essential.

Great post on the importance of video. However, I do not agree with the use of pocket cams for producing your video. While video can greatly enhance your conversion on your website, it is also just as responsible for a high bounce rate. Nothing turns users off more than a poorly produced video. Spending a couple dollars can get your far in getting a well produced online video. And I don’t want to forget the fact that video is now optimized. That seemed to miss this post. So we should all remember Universal Search!!!!

great points here buddy. Video is definitely the thing for small businesses today. People are not keen on reading long text emails anymore. I personally use video emailing and conferencing tools to connect with people; I go by this principle: “People like to see who they are doing business with”, so point number four resonates with me a lot. Thanks for sharing.

There are a few more video streaming providers just like Brightcove that I would like to mention. I know Kaltura.com and TikiLive.com but I personally use DaCast.com. I use this video platform because their are the cheapest on the market, they have a reliable stream service and a good customer support.

I do tutorials about web design and with DaCast I can add a pay per view wall on my videos, which means that people have to pay with paypal to stream. It is a wonderful service and an awesome way to make extra $$ (especially if you are a student too).

Subscribe

About Small Business Trends

Founded in 2003, Small Business Trends is an award-winning online publication for small business owners, entrepreneurs and the people who interact with them. It is one of the most popular independent small business publications on the web.

Together with hundreds of expert contributors, Small Business Trends brings you the news, advice and resources you need. "Small business success... delivered daily."